Tab strip feed and applying device



May 2, 1950 A. J. STANLEY 2,505,802

TAB STRIP FEED AND APPLYING DEvIcE 'ITORNEY May 2, 1950 A. J. STANLEY 2,505,802

TAB STRIP FEED AND APPLYING DEvIcE Filed Aug. 9, I l946 l 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVENTOR. I A: xA/vai@ .Z JmL/5r mww May 2, 1950 A. J. STANLEY 2,505,802

TAB STRIP FEED AND APPLYING DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1 946 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 2, 1950 A. J. STANLEY 505,802

TAB STRIP FEED AND APPLYING DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1946 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 .e $1' INVENTOR. AxA/vam Smm .er

l{TTORNEY A. J. STANLEY 2,505,802 TAB STRIP 'man AND APPLYING DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 194e 11 MTRNEY 2 1950 A. J. STANLEY 2,505,302

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TAB STRIP FEED AND APPLYING DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1946 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 May 2 1950 A. J. STANLEY TAB STRIP FEED AND APPLYING nEvIcE 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Aug. 9, 194s mwN NNN

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TAB STRIP FEED AND APPLYING DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR. ALUM/Wgr? J. 5mn/Er MW 2 1950 A. J. STANLEY 2,505,802

TAB STRIP FEED AND APPLYING DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1946 11 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTOR ALfXA/waf@ J Sm/Mey law'f ATTORNE- May 2, 1950 A. J. STANLEY 2,505,802

un STRIP FEED AND APPLYING nEvIcE Filed Aug. 9, 1946 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 WMZ/W Patented May 2, 1950 TAB STRIP FEED AND APPLYING DEVICE Alexander J. Stanley, North Brunswick Township,

Middlesex Count N. J., assigner io Industrial Tape Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 9, 1946, Serial No. 689,358

Claims. l

This invention relates to a machine for applying tab strips at predetermined intervals along a traveling sheet or web. More particularly it relates to a machine equipped with driving mechanism for causing a web to travel from one position in the machine to another, and with devices for feeding a tab strip transversely df the traveling web, severing a predetermined length thereof and applying the severed length to the traveling web at a predetermined position governed by instrumentalities which are operated in timed relation with the web driving mechanism.

The invention has been illustrated as applied to a web slitting machine of the score cuting type. In such a machine, a traveling web which may be coated on one side 'with a pressuresensitive adhesive, is drawn from a bundle roll and guided, by means of suitable rolls, through the machine to a slitting station where the web is cut longitudinally into narrow strips or tapes. Alternate strips pass to one mandrel supporting a plurality of cores on which the strips are wound, whereas the remaining strips pass to a second mandrel similarly equipped with cores for the same purpose. Such machines are provided usually with starting and stopping devices whereby, after the leading ends of the strips of tape are started on their respective cores, operation of the machine may be inaugurated and continued until predetermined lengths of tape have been wound up, whereupon the machine may be brought to rest and a new set of cores brought into position ready for the next wind-up operation.

With some types of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape it is desirable to apply a non-adhesive strip or tab to the adhesive at the leading end of the tape so that such end may be grasped and separated from the underlying layer or convolution with facility. The present invention permits such tabs or strips to be applied automatically and not manually as heretofore.

In accordance with the invention, there is located adjacent one edge of the adhesive web as it travels through the machine and in advance of the web slitting position, a device which supports "a roll of tab material in strip form. During the travel of the web, the strip of tabmaterial is fed endwise through a guideway which is located beneath the traveling web adjacent the side thereof to which the adhesive has been applied. When the table strip has traveled the full width of the traveling web, its feed is automatically arrested `and a knife operated automatically to sever from the roll of tab material that portion of the strip which lies in the guideway beneath the web. Thereafter, and at a point in the machine cycle which is determined by the length of web that has traveled past the strip applying position since the application of the previous strip, mechanism is operated automatically to lift the tab strip into engagement with the traveling web which, being adhesive, grasps the `tab strip and carries it along. The tab strip feeding cycle thereupon is reinaugurated.

After the web has picked up the tab, it continues its travel past the slitting device so that there will be a tab associated with each individual strip of tape into which the web has been slit. The machine is brought to rest as the tabs arrive adjacent the cores on which the tapes are wound, enabling the individual tapes to be cut at a position which leaves the tab exposed at the outer end of the roll of tape. The tapes at the leading end of the traveling web then may be started on new cores for the next tape wind-up operation.

The tab strip feeding, severing and applying devices are controlled from timing mechanism which makes one cycle of operation for each tab strip that is applied to the traveling web. Thus, by driving the timing mechanism in timed relation with the travel of the web through the ma.- chine, as by the use of suitable gearing, it is apparent that the tab strip may be applied to the web at equal intervals of any desired length along the web in its travel through the machine.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a left-end elevation of a machine equipped with the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a right-end elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

` Fig. 3 is a vertical central section on a fore and aft plane through the machine shown in Fig. 1, looking at the parts from the right;

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view illustrating a portion at the right of the `machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an elevation, looking at the parts from the right, and showing the timing mechanism for controlling the operation of the tab strip feeding mechanism, the tab strip severing mechanism and the tab applying mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on line 6--6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view on line 1'| of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on line l-l of Fig. 5; Y

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the mechanism for applying the tab strip to the traveling web;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view on line III-I 0 of Fig. 9, showing the parts in their normal position;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view on line I I-I I of Fig. 9, but snowing the parts in the act of ap- Flying the tab strip to the travehng web;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view on line I2-l2 of 9;

Fig. 13 is a rear elevation of the tab strip feeding mechanism, the tab strip severing mechanism and the tab strip applying mechanism, the latter two mechanisms being shown in section;

Fig. 14 is a fore and art vertical sectional view on line I4|4 or Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a horizontal sectional view on line I-I5 of Fig. 14; and

Fig. 16 is a vertical sectional view on line I6-I 6 of Fig. 5.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, a bundle roll of adhesive sheet material I0 is supported on a mandrel I I arranged in xed brackets I2 supported on the machine frame I3 at the rear (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) The sheet material or web III is pulled upwardly oli the bundle roll, past guide rolls I4 and I5 and thence over and around the upper of a pair of vertically spaced horizontal- 'ly disposed S rolls I6 and I1. Both the rolls I6 land I1 which are arranged one directly above the other, are positively driven and since the adhesive side of the web I0 is in contact with the upper roll I6 for about three-quarters of its periphery, the tension exerted on the adhesive yweb is suflicient to pull it with facility off the bundle roll. After leaving the suriace of the upper roll I6, the web passes through the space between it and the lower roll I1, toward trie rear of the latter, and then around the lower roll which it leaves traveling in a forward direction toward the front of the machine.

From the roll I1 the web passes over a guide roll I8 and then under a platen roll I9 where the sheet is slit longitudinally into a plurality of tapes of narrow width Illa and lub by a gang of circular knives 2U spaced along the platen roll with which the knives are in edgewise engagement (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4). After the slitting operation, every other strip or' tape Ia passes over a guide roll 2I supported at its opposite ends for rotation in bearings presented at tile upper ends oi a pair of arms 22 which are mounted one at each side of the machine frame at the front. From the guide roll 2I the tapes Illa travel to one or another of the series of cores which are spaced along a mandrel 23 which is detachably mounted at its opposite ends on short stub shafts 24, 25, which likewise are journalled for rotation in the bearings presented by the arms 22. A guide roll 26 and a core supporting mandrel 21 provide a simllar disposition for the intermediate strips of tape Illb. The guide roll 26 and mandrel 21 are mounted in the same fashion as the guide roll 2I and mandrel 23 in a pair of arms 28. The arms 28 are likewise arranged one on each side of the machine frame.

The S-rolls I6 and I1 which are arranged one above the other adjacent the rear of the machine,

. the platen roll I9, the two guide rolls 2I and 26 and the two mandrels 23 and 21, on which the wind-up cores are mounted, are all driven by mechanism best illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The driving mechanism includes a pulley 29 xed on a short shaft 30 which is mounted for rotation in the left side frame of the machine. The pulley 29 is driven through a belt 3I from a motor 32 secured at the base of the machine. The pulley shaft gear drives the platen roll I3 which in turn chain drives tne 8-rolis I6, l1, at the rear of the machine which are geared together for this purpose. 'l'he chain drive between the platen roll and the S-rolls includes an idler shalt 33 on winch there are fixed a pair of sprockets connected by chains 34 and 35 with similar sprockets fixed on the platen roll and the lower S-roli I1 respectively (Fig. 1).

The guide rolls 2| and 26, over which the tapes I0a and Illb pass after leaving the platen roll, are also chain driven. The drive is from the platen roll I9 and since their direction of rotation is counter to that of the platen roll the drive is effected by a chain 36 which is looped around sprocket wheels 31 and 38 fixed at the right ends of the guide rolls 2I and 26 and an idler sprocket 39 rotatably mounted in the machine frame, the chain loop being driven externally from a sprocket 40 on the platen roll. (Fig. 2).

The core supporting mandrels 23 and 21 are rotated by virtue of the rotation of a pair of stub shafts 24 and 42 into which the right hand ends of the mandrels are received for ready removal and replacement (Fig. 4). The stub shafts 24 and 42 are equipped with pinions 43 and 44 meshing with pinions 45 and 46 likewise fixed on short stub shafts 41 and 48 journalled respectively in the arms 22 and 28 (Figs. 2 and 4). These stub shafts 41 and 48 are driven through chains 49 and 50 from stub shafts 5I and 52 journalled lower down in the arms 22 and 28. The stub shafts 5I and 52 are equipped with pinions 53 and 54 which mesh with large gears 55 and 56 rotatably mounted at the ends of shafts 51 and 58 which extend crosswise of the machine and give it lateral stability. The gears 55 and 56 are connected by friction clutches 59 and 60 to identical gears 6I and 62 mounted for rotation on the same shafts and these gears are in turn driven by a large gear 63 fixed at the right end of the platen roll I9. The gear connections are such that there is a tendency to overdrive the wind-up mandrels 23 and 21. Overdriving the mandrels through the slip clutches 53 and 60 enables the mandrels to accommodate their speed to that which will compensate for the increasing diameters of the rolls of tape as they are wound up and to maintain proper tension in the tape.

As previously stated, the wind-up mandrels 23 and 21 are designed for ready removal and replacement to permit the substitution of new sets of cores after each wind-up operation (Fig. 4). To this end, the mandrels 23 and 21 are formed each at its right end with a cylindrical portion 64 presenting a slot 65. The slot at the right end of the mandrel 23 is adapted to engage a pin 66 extending transversely across a recess in the stub shaft 24 which is designed to receive the cylindrical end of the mandrel. This construction which is the same in the case of each mandrel provides a positive drive between the stub shafts 24 and 42 and the respective mandrels 23 and 21. Each mandrel is similarly formed at its opposite end where it is arranged to engage in the hollow end of a sleeve 61 which is equipped with a cross pin 68 to engage the slot in the end of the mandrel. The sleeve 61 is arranged for limited end- A wise movement along the rotatable stub shaft 25 as determined by a pin 69 extending transversely through the stub shaft and into longitudinal slots 10 formed in the sleeve. A compression spring 1I encircling the sleeve and reacting between a shoulder 12 thereon and a shoulder 13 on the stub shaft serves to hold the mandrel in the machine during the tape wind-up operation. However, when it is desired to remove the mandrel to substitute another set of cores. it is necessary only to press the mandrel endwise to the left, against the compression of the spring 1| until the mandrel at its right end can be moved clear of the stub shaft, whereupon the mandrel can be withdrawn from the sleeve 81 at the left end of the mandrel.

The tab strip 14 is applied to the traveling web I at a position just in advance of the guideroll |8. The tab strip is preferably of narrow width paper (although the invention is by no means limited thereto). The paper preferably is in the form of a roll 15 located on a core 16 which, in turn, is mounted for rotation on a short fore-and-aft p`in 11 arranged in a xed bracket 18 located at the right of the traveling web i0 when looking at the machine from the front (Figs. 13 and 14). The tab strip is pulled off the supply roll 15 by a driven pulley 19 against a slight drag exerted by a compression spring 80 buttressed by a collar 8| on the pin 11, and which presses the core 16 against a face plate 82 arranged on the pin adjacent the opposite face of the core. The pulley 19 is mounted on a foreand-aft shaft 83 journalled'at its opposite ends in outboard bearings presented by the fixed support 18. The tab strip passes around the pulley 19, thence to an idler guide roll 84 which is located in a position such that a substantial length of tab strip remains in contact with the pulleys periphery. From the guide roll 84 the tab strip passes between a pair of rolls 95 and 86 which lie one above the other with just sufficient clearance to permit the passage of the tab strip therebetween. The lower roll 85 is a driven roll and the upper one 86 an idler whose motion is imparted to it by the paper strip as it is fed along. Since the tab strip is fairly flexible and is fed endwise in a manner later to appear, the rolls 85, 86 are formed one (the lower one 85) with a tongue and the other (the upper one 86) with a groove so that the narrow tab strip is crimped longitudinally as it passes between the rolls to increase its rigidity (Figs. 13 and 15).

The rotation of the shaft 83 on which the pulley 19 is mounted is effected from va vertical shaft 81 whose rotation is controlled in the manner hereinafter set forth. The vertical shaft 81 is journalled near its upper end in a bearing 88 presented by the xed support 18 and at its lower end in a bearing 89 carried by a plate 90 which is fixed to the lower frame of the machine at the right (Figs. 2, and 14). to the shaft 81 just above the bearing 89. serves as a thrust bearing to hold the vertical shaft 81 against downward movement.

At the upper end of the vertical shaft 81, just above the top bearing 88 there is secured a beveled gear 92 which meshes with a beveled gear 93 fixed on the fore-and-aft horizontal shaft 83 which carries the drive pulley `'19. At the rear end of the rotatable shaft 83 there is fixed a sprocket wheel 94 having a chain drive connection with another sprocket Wheel 95 iixed at the rear end of a fore-and-aft shaft 98. The shaft 96 is rotatably mounted in bearings carried by a fixed part of the machine and is the shaft on which the tongued roll 85 is mounted. The grooved roll 86 which overlies the tongued roll is rotatably supported in a fixed bracket 91. According to this arrangement, the pulley 19 and thetongued roll 85 are driven, as the vertical shaft 81 rotates, to cause the tab strip 14 to be A collar 9|, pinned accesos l fed endwise transversely of the traveling web Il and, of course, when the vertical shaft comes to rest, the feed oi' the tab strip is interrupted.

As the crimped tab strip 14 leaves the tongued and grooved rolls 85. 88, it is fed between a xed blade 98 and a vertically movable blade 99 and thence into a guideway |00 which extends the complete width of the traveling web and directly beneath it (Figs. 13, 14'and 15). The knife blade mechanism consists in part of an angle iron 'support having a- -horizontal leg |0| secured to the fixed support member 18 and a vertical leg |02 which extends upwardly beyond the level of the vtraveling web. 0n the side of the vertical leg |02, adjacent the traveling web there is secured the fixed knife blade 98 whose cutting edge is substantially at the level of the guideway |00. The

vertical leg |02 of the angle iron is cut away centrally for a substantial portion of its depth to form a recess |03 which accommodates the vertical movement of the knife blade 99 whose cutting edge, in its normal position, is located above the path of travel of the tab strip but which, when the knife is moved downwardly, cooperates with the cutting edge of the fixed blade 98 to shear the tab strip. The movable blade 99 is secured to a slide |04 which is arranged for vertical movement in grooves or guideways |05 dened by a pair of opposed vertical lips |06 presented by a pair of blocks |01 and the marginal edges of the angle iron leg |02 which are adjacent the cut away portion |03. The blocks |01 are secured to the angle iron leg |02 near the top and on the face thereof which is remote from the traveling web. The slide |04 is formed with an aperture l |08 which, in the normal position of the parts,

registers with the path of travel of the tab strip and permits its unhindered passage therethrough. There is secured to the slide immediately below the aperture a iiller piece |09 which bridges the gap between the slide and the fixed knife 98 thereby preventing the tab strip from being caughtUbetween the slide and the fixed knife when the feed of. the tab strip is inaugurated after a cutting operation. The vertical leg |02 of the angle iron has a smaller cut out'portion ||0 just below the wider cut out portion |03 to provide clearance for the filler piece |09 dur-` ing the vertical movement of the slide.

The slide |04 tapers off to a narrow section which extends downwardly through an aperture in the fixed member 18 on which the angle iron is supported.` The section at its lower end is pivotally connected at the front end of a link ||2 centrally fulcrumed on a fixed pivot ||I and which, at its other end, is pivotally connected at the upper end of a piston rod |4 forming part of a cylinder and piston arrangement ||5 designed for air operation (Figs. 13 and 14). An inlet IIS at the lower end of the cylinder permits the introduction of compressedvair beneath a piston ||1 therein which is fixed at the lower end of the piston rod ||4; When that occurs. the piston is raised against the force of a compression spring ||8 which reacts between the piston and the `cylinder head. The upward movement of the piston |I1, through the mechanism previously described, depresses the slide |04 causing the tab strip to be sheared by the cutting `blades 98 and 99. The slide and consequently the blades are restored to their normal positions by the cylinder spring ||8 when the air in the cylinder is released. The filler piece |09, on the re- .turn movement of the slide, raises the end of the tab strip suiliciently to insure clearance with the fixed blade 98 when its feed again is inaugurated. An adjustable set screw ||9 which is threaded through the fixed support 18 overlies the fulcrumed rod ||2 near the end thereof which is 'connected to the piston rod ||4 and serves as an adjustable abutment properly to limit the degree of blade movement.

When the feed of the tab strip 14 is inaugurated, the leading end thereof passes over the stationary blade 98 and enters the long guideway presented by a member |20 which underlies the traveling web |0 and extends transversely of the machine for the full width of the web (Figs. 9, 10, 12, 13 and l5) The member |20 is thicker adjacent its rear edge. where it is milled to present a long slot |2| which constitutes part of the guideway in which the guide strip travels. The guideway construction is such that while the tab strip is supported at the bottom over its entire width, it is constrained at the top for only about half its width. The front marginal half of the tab strip is fully exposed from the top.

The guide member |20 is hinged at its rear edge to an underlying tubular member |22 substantially square in cross section and likewise extending transversely of the machine the full width of the traveling web. At the top of the tubular member and just in advance of the guide member |20 there is secured a bar |23 which, in the normal position of the hinged member, as shown in Figs. and 12, extends slightly above the horizontal tab supporting surface and thus acts as a guide for the front edge of the tab strip.

The guide member is held in its normal position by a pair of tension springs |24 connected one at each end of the guide member to an eye |25 projecting from the lower surface thereof through a long slot |26 formed in the top of the tubular member and which -underlies the hinged guide member for substantially its full length. The springs |24 extend through holes |21 drilled in the bottom of the tubular member and are anchored at their lower ends to members |28 which are secured to the tubular member on its bottom surface. The guide member |20 remains in its normal position throughout the periodthat the tab strip is fed transversely of 'the traveling web, i. e., until the leading end thereof has reached or has gone slightly beyond the remote `edge of the traveling web. Thereupon the feed of the tab strip is interrupted and the portion located in the guideway, severed by the knife mechanism previously described. After the tab strip 14 is severed, the guide member |20 is turned upwardly about its pivot from the position shown in Fig. 10 to the position shown in Fig. l1 wherein the front edge of the tab strip is caused to engage the overlying surface of the traveling web i0. Since the web, in the form of the invention illustrated herein, is provided on its under surface with a pressure sensitive adhesive, it grips the tab strip and draws it edgewise forwardly out of the guideway. Thereafter the traveling web passes over the guide roller i8 so that the tab strip is pressed into contact with the traveling web over its entire surface.

The mechanism for operating the guide member |20 includes a long vertically disposed plate |29 located in the tubular member |22 and whose upper portion extends through the slot |26 therein into underlying engagement with the bottom surface of the hinged guide member |20. The plate |29 is supported at the upper end of a piston rod |30 of a vertically disposed cylinder and piston mechanism |3|, the cylinder of which is '15in the plate 90.

secured to a plate |32. The plate |32 is attached at its upper end to the tubular member |22 and extends downwardly therefrom for a. distance sufficient to serve as the cylinder mechanism support. The cylinder and piston mechanism |3| is in all substantial respects similar to the cylinder and piston mechanism ||5 previously described and when air is admitted to the lower end thereof its piston is raised to lift the plate |29 and operate the guide member |20 in the manner previously described. The plate |29 is lifted against the tension of the springs |24 and also against the action of a pair of springs |33 encircling a pair of vertical posts |34 which extend through holes in the bottom of the tubular member |22 and which are secured at their upper ends to the lifting plate |29 near the opposite ends thereof. The springs |33 react between the bottom of the tubular member |22 and collars |35 which are threaded on the posts |34. The arrangement is such that when the air pressure in the cylinder is released, the lifting plate |29 returns to its normal position with an even motion over its entire length. The tension springs |24 cause the guide member |20 to follow the lifting plate |29 to its normal position when the plate is lowered in the manner just described.

The upward movement of the lifting plate |29 is limited by a collar |36 fixed to the piston rod |30 and which is arranged to bank against the bottom surface of the tubular member |22. A stop |31 fixed on the tubular member |22 at the top and just to the rear of the guide member |20 acts as a safety to limit any overthrow of the guide member in its pivotal movement as might occur if the tension springs |24 were temporarily inoperative for any reason.

The tubular member |22 is supported, adjacent its opposite ends, between fixed uprights |31' I spaced in a fore-and-aft direction and fixed on the machine frame. Each pair of supports is equipped with opposed set screws |38 which engage one at the front and the other at the rear of the tubular member, thereby to provide for a limited adjustment of the tubular member in all directions.

To complete the description of this phase of the machine, it should be noted that the leading end of the guideway. i. e., the end thereof which is adjacent the cutting knives, is equipped with a small plate member |39 which curves lightly above the fixed cutting blade 98 to insure that the tab strip 14 will enter the guideway each time its feed is inaugurated (Figs. 13 and l5).

As stated at the outset, the improved mechanism is designed to apply the tab strip to the traveling web at predetermined intervals along its length. To this end the various mechanisms which effect the feed of the tab strip, the severing thereof and its application to the traveling web are all controlled from a fore-and-aft cam shaft |40, journalled at its ends in bearings |4| fixed to the plate which is supported on the lower machine frame at the right. (Figs. 2, 5 and 8). The cam shaft is driven from the platen roll I9 by mechanism which includes a worm wheel |42 which is splined to the cam shaft and driven by a worm |43 fixed at one end of a short shaft |44 journalled in a bearing |45 carried by the plate `90. At the other end of shaft |44 there is fixed a pinion |46 which is driven through a set of change gears |41 and |48, which are fixed at the ends of short stub shafts |49 and |50 journalled in bearings which' are likewise mounted The drive further includes a its outer edge.

9 sprocket |6| iixed on the shaft |60 of the change gear, and a chain |52 connecting it with a. sprocket by The cam shaft |40 drives the vertical shaft 01 which operates :the tab strip feed mechanism through devices which interrupt the feeding of the tab strip 14 when its leading end has arrived adjacent the remote edge of the traveling web and again pick up the drive of the tab strip feeding mechanism after the operation of the tab strip cutting mechanism and the mechanism which applies the tab strip to the traveling web. These devices are best shown in Figs. 5, 6, '1 and 8. At the lower end of the vertical shaft 01, just below the bearing 89, there is splined a toothed ratchet wheel |55. Immediately below and in coaxial alignment with the vertical shaft 61 there is another shorter shaft |56 which is journalled for rotation in a bearing |51 secured to the plate 90. The shaft |56 is held against vertical movement by a pair of collars |50 pinned thereto, one above and one below the bearing. The shaft |56 is driven from the cam shaft |40 through a pair of cooperating beveled gears |59 and |60. At the upper end of the shaft |56 there is splined a, horizontally extending arm |6I. The arm |6| is drilled near its outer end to accommodate a pivot pin |62 which extends vertically therethrough (Fig. 6). Above the arm |6| there is a pawl |63 fixed to the pin |62 and located in horizontal alignment with the ratchet wheel |55, and the pawl is pressed into engagement with the ratchet wheel by a leaf spring |64 which engages The leaf spring is anchored at on an idler shaft |53 which is turn is driven a chain |54 from a sprocket on the platen roll During the time the tab strip feed is interrupted, the tab strip cutting knives 60 and Il operate to sever the tab strip and the tab strip guide member |20 operates to apply the tab strip to the traveling web as previously described.

It will be recalled that the tab strip severing device and the device for applying the tab strip to the traveling web are respectively operated by the cylinder and piston devices ||5 and nl. These devices are connected each with a source of air pressure (not shown) through a pipe line |69 and a valve |10 which controls the flow of air to and from its associated cylinder and piston device. Since the valves are the same only one has been illustrated (Fig. 16). This valve is a standard three-way valve, the details of which are not shown, but which is provided with a pivoted lever |1| adapted, when it is pressed toward the valve body, to establishla connection between the source of air pressure and the cylinder with which it is connected and, when released, to reone end in the rotatable arm |6I. At the lower end of the pivot pin |62, i. e., beneath the arm |6 there is secured a short arm |65 provided at its outer end with an anti-friction cam follower 66 arranged to track along a cam |61 which, while it encircles the shaft |56, nevertheless is secured in a fixed position by a bracket |68 attached to a stationary portion of the machine (Figs. '1 and 8).

During the operation of the cam shaft |40, and when the cam follower |66 is tracking along the low portion of the fixed cam |61, the pawl |63 remains engaged with the ratchet wheel 55 so that the upper shaft 01 rotates in synchronism with the lower shaft and so long as the upper shaft 81 continues to rotate the tab strip feeding mechanism continues tofeed the tab strip transversely of the traveling web. However, when the cam follower |66 rides up upon the high portion of the cam |61, the pawl |63 is withdrawn out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 55. With the pawl disengaged, the upper shaft 81 comes to rest and remains at rest until the cam follower |66 rides oif the high portion of the cam and onto the low portion thereof. This permits the pawl |63 again to be pressed by the spring |64 into engagement with the ratchet wheel |55 thereby to reinaugurate the rotation of the upper shaft B1 and consequently the feed of the tab strip. The position of the cam |61 is so adjusted that the feed of the tab strip is arrested coincidentally with the arrival of the leading end of the tab strip at the remote edge of the traveling web. Furthermore, the intermediate gearing and .chain drive connections between the cam shaft |40 and the tab strip feeding rolls are such that the tab strip travels the full width of the traveling web during each complete rotation of the cam shaft.

turn to its normal position to cut off the supply of air and vent the cylinder to the atmosphere. The valves associated with the respective cylinder and piston devices are operated each by a cam on the cam shaft |40, a cam |12 operating the valve associated with the tape severing device and a cam |13 operating the valve associated with the tab strip applying device. In the course of the rotation of the cam shaft |40 and after the tab strip feeding mechanism has been interrupted, a high portion |14 on the cam |12 arrives opposite a cam follower |15 which is arranged at the end of the lever arm |1| associated with its respective valve. This operates the valve to effect the tab strip severing operation and, as soon as the high portion of the cam has traveled past the cam follower, the valve assumes its normal condition in which the cylinder is vented, thereby permitting the tab strip severing mechanism to be restored to its normal position.

Thereafter, a similar high portion on the cam |13 actuates in like manner its associated valve to operate the tab strip applying device in the manner hereinbefore described. It is after the operation of the tab strip applying device and its return to normal position that the pawl and ratchet mechanism operates to reinaugurate the tab strip feeding operation.

As the operator observes the applied tab strips approaching the position of the wind-up cores on the mandrels 23 and 21, he may stop the machine in the usual manner as by shutting off the supply of current to the driving motor. The tapes canthen be severed at the position of the tabs and the ends of the tape at the leading end of the traveling web started on new cores for the next wind-up operation. Obviously, however, the stopping of the machine has nothing to do with the tab strip applying cycle even though mechanism controlled from the cam shaft |40 could be used to stop the machine automatically, if desired. Actually, it would make no difference, sc far as the instant invention is concerned, whether or not each length of tape between the respective tabs is applied to separate wind-up cores. Indeed, if desired, the web could be caused to travel past the platen roll without slitting and wound up on a large bundle roll in which the tab strips would occur at equal intervals throughout the length of the Wound up web. There are numerous instances in which this might be desirable.

The invention has been described in connection with one embodiment thereof and by way of 11 example only and many modifications thereof are included within its spirit. It is to be understood therefore that the invention is to be limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for applying a tab strip at predetermined intervals along a traveling web and which includes a supply of tab strip material, means for feeding a length of tab strip material from said supply transversely to the direction of travel of the web and into a position immediately adjacent the traveling web, a device for severing, from the supply, the length of tab strip material thus positioned, means for applying the severed tab strip to the web after a predetermined length of the web has traveled past said position, control mechanism for timing the operation of the severing device and the tab strip applying means, and a common drive for effecting the travel of the web and the operation of the control mechanism.

2. A machine for applying a tab strip at predetermined intervals along a traveling web and which includes a supply of tab strip material, means for feeding a length of tab strip material from said supply transversely to the direction of travel of the web and into a position immediately adjacent the traveling web, a device for severing, from the supply, the length of tab strip material thus positioned, means for applying the severed tab strip to the web after a predetermined length of the web has traveled past said position, control mechanism for interrupting the feed of the tab strip material after a predetermined length thereof has been fed and for timing the operation of the severing device and the tab strip applying device, and a common drive for effecting the travel of the web and the operation of the control mechanism.

3. A machine for applying a tab strip at predetermined intervals along a traveling web and which includes a supply of tab strip material, means for feeding a length of tab strip material from said supply transversely to the direction of travel of the web and into a position immediately adiacent the traveling web, a device for severing, from the supplv, the length of tab strip material thus positioned, means for applying the severed ifab strip to the web after a predetermined length of the web has traveled past said position, control mechanism for interruptingr the feed of the tab strip material after a predetermined length thereof has been fed, for timingr the operation of the severiner device and the tab strip applying means, and for thereafter reinaugurating the feed of the tab strip material, and a common drive for effecting the travel of the web and the operation of the control mechanism.

4. A machine for applying a tab strip at predetermined intervals along a traveling web and which includes a shiftable guideway into which the tab strip is endwise movable and from which the tab strip is edgewise removable when the guideway is shifted to bring the tab strip therein into contact with the traveling web, means for feeding the tab strip endwise into the guideway, means for shifting the guideway into tab strip removal position, a tab strip severing device located intermediate the guideway and the tab strip feeding means, control mechanism for timing the operation of the tab strip severing device and the guideway shifting means, and a common drive for effecting the travel of the web and the operation of the control mechanism.

5. A machine for applying a tab strip at predetermined intervals along a traveling web and which includes a shiftable guideway into which the tab strip is endwise movable and from which the tab strip is edgewise removable when the guideway is shifted to bring the tab strip therein into contact with the traveling rweb, means for feeding the tab strip endwise into the guideway, means for shifting the guideway into tab strip removal position, a tab strip severing device located intermediate the guideway and the tab strip feeding means, control mechanism for interrupting the operation of the feeding means and for timing the operation of the tab strip severing device and the guideway shifting means during the period of interruption, and a common drive for effecting the travel of the web and the opera- Ation of the control mechanism.

6. A device for applying a tab strip to a traveling web which includes a shiftable guideway into which the tab strip is endwise movable and from which the tab strip is edgewise removable when the guideway is shifted to bring the tab strip therein into contact with the traveling web, means for feeding the tab strip endwise into the guideway, and a tab strip severing device located intermediate the guideway and the tab strip feeding means. y

7. A device for applying a flexible tab strip to a traveling web which includes a shiftable guideway into which the tab strip is endwise movable and from which the tab strip is edgewise removable when the guideway is shifted to bring the tab strip therein into contact with the traveling web, means for feeding the tab strip endwise into the guideway comprising instrumentalities for longitudinally crimping the tab strip, and a tab strip severing device located intermediate the guideway and the tab strip feeding means.

8. A device for applying a flexible tab strip to a traveling web and which includes a guideway into which the tab strip is endwise movable and from which the tab strip is edgewise removable when the guideway is shifted to bring the tab strip into contact with the traveling web, means for feeding the tab strip into the guideway, means for shifting the guideway int tab strip removal position, a tab strip severing device located between the guideway and the tab strip feeding means, operating means for the severing device, and control mechanism for interrupting the operation of the tab strip feeding means after a predetermined length thereof has been fed into the guideway, and for thereafter timing the operation of the tab strip severing device andthe guideway shifting means.

9. A device for applying a flexible tab strip to a traveling web and which includes a guideway into which the tab strip is endwise movable and from which the tab strip is edgewise removable when the guideway is shifted to bring the tab strip into contact with the traveling web, means for feeding the tab strip into the guideway, means for shifting the guideway into tab strip removal position, atab strip severing device located between the guideway and the tab strip feeding means, operating means for the severing device, and control mechanism for interrupting the operation of the tab strip feeding means after a .predetermined length thereof has been fed into the guideway, for timing the operation of the tab strip severing device and the guideway shifting means, and for thereafter reinaugurating the operation of the tab strip feeding means.

10. A device for applying a flexible tab strip 13 to a. traveling web and which includes a guideway into which the tab strip is `endwise movable and from which the tab strip is edgewise removable When the guicieway is shifted to bring the tab strip into contact with the traveling web, means for feeding the tab strip into the guideway, means for shifting the guideway into tab strip removal position, a tab strip severing device located between the guideway and the tab strip feeding means, and mechanism, including a com- 10 mon operating element, for interrupting for a given period the operation of the tab strip feeding means and for effecting the operation of the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the me of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,723,068 Parsons Aug. 6, 1929 2,157,556 Menschner May 9, 11939 

